Bord na Móna’s growing media plant to reopen under deal with ICL
ICL Specialty Fertilizers to expand Irish operations and supply growing media to growers
7 April 2022
ICL Specialty Fertilizers plans to expand its operations in Ireland and supply growing media to professional ornamental growers and plant propagators across the country, after signing an agreement with Bord na Móna.
ICL has agreed to lease Bord na Móna’s professional growing media mixing facility at Cúil na Móna in Co. Laois for a period of three years.
The agreement also covers a start-up supply stock of professional horticultural peat, harvested prior to Bord na Móna withdrawing from commercial harvesting.
Under the agreement, the product can only be used in the Irish market.
To help growers reduce their reliance on peat, Stephen Squires, regional business lead at ICL, said the company is working on the development of sustainable growing media solutions utilising ICL’s new Fibagro Advance woodfibre technology.
Squire said the technology is “a superior peat alternative with a lower carbon footprint, compared with peat and other peat alternatives.”
He added that the agreement with Bord na Móna “will see ICL expand its sustainable growing media manufacturing facilities to Ireland, to help to meet the current and future needs of Irish ornamental growers and plant propagators.
“While utilising Bord na Móna’s site and machinery – and helping secure jobs for its workforce – ICL will bring its Levington Advance formulas, know-how and technology advancements in circular economy, growing media products to Ireland.”
While Bord na Móna is no longer engaged in peat harvesting, its head of land and habitats, Ger Breen said it is still “keen to enable sustainable solutions in a number of different sectors.”
What’s more, Breen said Bord na Móna is “further committed to finding solutions to the challenges facing the horticultural sector.”
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